Feeler loom



Aug. 4, 1925 A A c.1-1. DRAPER FEELER LOOM 5 sneetslshe't i 1 Filed sept. 22, 1921 lwyenn Aug. 4,1925.

C. H. DRAPER FEELER LOOM,

v Filed sept. 22, 1921 5 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Aug. 4, v1925., www? I .cfu-i. DRAPER FEELER LOOM Filed sept. 22, 1921 3 sheets-.sheet s Patented ug.

UNITED STATES CLARE I-. DRAPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS,

PAV orio ASSIGNOR TO HOPEDALE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF MILFORDyYMASSACI-IUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF/MASSA- p oHUsETTs.

FEELER LOOM.

Application` filed September 22, 1921. Serial No. 502,482.

To all vwhom it may concern:

Be -it known that I, CLARE I-I. DRAPER, a 'citizen of the United States, residing at Ilopedale, in the county of. lVorcester/and State of Massachusetts,`have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Feeler Looms; and I do hereby declare the follow'- ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suc-h as will enable others skilled in the art toywhich it appertains to llllC and USC lill Silllle.

,'I/.lhe present. invention relates to an im` provemcnt in feeler looms. p

lVhen-the outgoing shuttle thread is screred on the hopper side of the loo-m, there is a long piece of weft extending from the shuttle eye to the selvage whichgisliable to be caught in the shuttle boxand be drawn into the shed with the new thread `from a `freshly inserted bobbin. i, This long thread extendingv from the exhausted bobbin to the point of parting is difficult to' remove from the shuttleye by the very reason of its length. It is desirable when the exhausted bo-bhin is forced out of the shuttle that the thread extendingl from the bobbin to the point of parting be pulled through the eye so as to get it out of the way of the incoming thro-ad to avoid the possibility of its being drawn into the warp. The longer this thread, the greater the liability of itsbeing caught and drawn into the warp.

The present invention is directed to produce a loom construction'wherein when the feeler indicates critical exhaustion the thread is cut near the shuttle eye on the opposite side of the loom from the hopper or weft replenishing mechanism. lVhen thisthread` ha'sbecn cut on the opposite side ofthe loom from the hopper, and the shuttle is thrown vover to the hopper side, the shuttle laysno thread in the shed, and the next throw of the shuttle carrying the new load of filling should, in order to secure perfect cloth, la;1 the new thread in the same shed. This .is secured, according to the present invention, by stopping the harness motion for a 'period of one beat of the lay. This is more especially important in looms having more than two heddles and weaving diagonal or other more complicated weaves.V

To the above ends the present invention consists in the feeler loom hereinafterdeclaims.

In the accompanyingr drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan of the left hand shuttle box and as sociated mechanism of a left hand loom, that is to say, a loom having its knock-0H lever on the left hand side; Fig. 2 is a. sectional side elevation of a loom; Fig. 3 illustrates the clutch motion for disconnecting the auxiliary cam shaft from the main cam shaft; Fig. 4 is a side elevation; and Fig. 5 is a front 'elevation of the parts of the feelcr mechanism, weft severing devices and associated parts.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is described as follows. A feeler F, a latch L and a controller C, are or may be sulistanti-ally as illustrated and described in A the application of Jonas Northrop, filed hereinafter stated. The feeler is connected by means of the link 10 with the latch L pivoted at 12 on the latch-slide 13, being normally held in inoperative position, as shown in Fig. l,` by the angle portion 14 of the cont-roller stud 15 of the controller C, which angle portion 14 engages the downwardlyv projecting boss 16 of the latch L. The controller spring 17 normally tends to hold the controller in its rearward position, so as to hold the latch in its inoperative p osition, and the spring 18 tends to turn the latch into its operative position. The controller C 4is supported in a groove in the upper end of the weft hammerI-Lthe former being provided with a camsurface which permitsthe controller to drop in front of the projection 30 on the shuttle box upon those beats of the lay when the shuttle is boxed on the left hand the impulse of the latch spring 18, the latch causing the. feeler to move in this direction.

and thus the knife 20 of the weft hammer on the next forward beat engages the shoulder 19' of the latchI and forces the latch slide 13 forward, causing a change boss 21 to engage the right hand end of a knife opening lever ,22, thereby swinging the left hand end of the knife opening lever into engagement with the rear end of the knife lever 23, which is a bell crank lever pivoted at 24, the lower end vof which engages the knife stud 25, and

' 26 down into' open position.

' which slide bears the stud 25, and by engagement with the slot in the knife arm, closes the knife.

Thus on the first indication of-critical filling exhaustion, the knife is opened ready to lout afilyling on the next forward beat of the lay when the vshuttle is boxed on the left hand side of the loom. There are two forward ibeats of the lay with the shuttle boxed on the left hand side at which critical vfilling exhaustion is indicated. On the first, the knife is opened,and the change arm 31 is lowered ready tobe struck by the change boss 21 on the second indication of critical filling exhaustion. On the second forward movement of the latch slide, the shuttle strikes the knife operating slide 2T, and causes it to sever the filling `running -from the selvage to the shuttle. It `will bel noticed that the length of filling extending fromithe shuttle eye to the knife is short, and that the thread is clamped extending from the knife to the selvage. On this same forward movement of the latch slide, the change boss 21 strikes the lowered end of'the'change arm` 31, and pushes it forwardly, thereby rockingY the cha-nge shaft 32'.y and causing a new bobbin to be inserted in the, shuttle on the next shot of the, shuttlegtotheright hand side of the loom. As the-change'arm approaches the limit of its forwardmovernent, it rides up on the inclined end 33 of the right hand end of the knife opening lever 22, at a time when such right hand end occupies the position shown in dotted lines a,t34, Fig, 1. Oirthis forward movement of' the change arm 31, the pawl 35, pivoted on the side of the change arm, catches in front of the right hand'end of theknife opening lever 22 while it is in the position 34, so that when the latch slide again moves rearwardly, it pulls the knife 'opening leverback into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The left hand end of the knife opening lever 22, in opening the knife,` passes over and beyond the forward inclined. end of the knife lever 23, and when vit is restored to its original position, as just described, '1t moves forward again under the inclined end of the knife lever 23, lifting it inoperatively as it passes thereunder. The pawl 35 pivoted on the change arm is normallylheld up by the spring. 36 (see Fig. 4).

`When the 4filling has been severed and the end extending from the knife to the selvage I is clamped -by thefknife, it will be seen that the filling thus held by the knife extends `in front 'of the filling fork 50, and being held thereby,- it tilts the fork so that the latter is lmer hook 51, and causing a forward movement ofthe weft-slide 52, which operates to 'swing the stop lever 53 to engage and trip the knock-ofi' lever 54.

On the second forward movement-of the latch slide 13, the weft replenishing mechanism is thrown into operation by the turning of the change shaft 32. At the same time thedepending lever 37, connected with the change shaft, opens. the harness motion clutch on the cam shaft S. AThis is accomplished by means of the link 40, which is connected at its forward end to the lower end of the depending lever 37,' and at its rear bell crank lever' 4l, Vthe other arm of .which is forked, each arm of the fork being provided withl a pin carrying roll, which 'rolls engage a groove 42 in' the clutch disk 43'so as thereby4 to move `the clutch disk 43 out of engagement with the clutch face of 'thegear 44. This gear 44 throughthe idler pinion 45 drives the gear .46, which is secured to the auxiliary cam shaft 47, which carries theheddle cams 48. Thus the auxiliary cam shaft 47 is stopped after the cutting ofthe weft on the leftk hand side of the loom, and it remains stopped until after the shuttleis replenished of the loom after the second indication of critical exhaustion of the thread, moves through the same shed to the weft replenishmg mechanism on the right hand side end to one arm of .thev

of the loom that it moves vthrough on its,v

iii-st pick away from the right'hand side of the loom back to its position on the left hand side of the looni, as shown in Fig. 1.

So the thread is laid in the same shed that it would have been laid in if no replenishment had occurred, but with a motion of the shuttle in the opposite direction through the shed. lIn theV construction shown, the gear 44' is loose on the main cam shaft S, and the clutch member 43 is splined to that shaft. Also, the gear 44 has two-thirds of the number of teeth on the gear 46 on the auxiliary cam shaft, so that the clutch is open one-half revolution ofthe main cam shaft, or one revolution of the lay shaft, and the auxiliary Acam shaft suspends operation for a period of time equal to one revolution of the lay shaft. This arrangement is provided where threeheddles are employed, as shown in the drawing.

The invention contemplates broadly the stopping ofthe revolution of the auxiliary loom opposite to the weft replenishing mechanism, and to stop the shedding operation of the loom until replenishment on the opposite side of the loom, and the shuttle has been repicked to the first side of the loom,

so as thereby to lay a complete intact filling in the same shed as that through which the shuttle passed without layingany filling therein. Y

Having thus described the invention, what isclaimed is: i 'A l. A feeler loom having, in combination,

weft i'eplenishing mechanism, filling feelei' mechanism,a filling severing device, a'harness motion, means operated by the feeler mechanism on the first indication of' critical filling exhaustion for preparing the severing device for operation, and means for actuating the parts having provision for operating-'the severing device and stopping, the

harness motion on .al succeeding. indication of critical exliaustion'of the filling.

2. A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism on one side -v of the loom, filling feeler mechanism and a filling severing device on the other side of the loom, a harness motion, and means .for actuating the'parts having provision for stopping the harness motion and severing the filling on the indication of critical eX- haustion 'ofthe filling.

3. A feeler .loom having,'in combination, weft ieplenishing mechanism -on one side of the loom, filling feeler mechanism and a -filling severing device om the other side of the loom,va harnessKmot-ion, means for operating tlie parts having provision forstopping the hai-ness motion' and'severin'g the filling on the indication of critical exhaustion of the lling, and` for starting the harness lmot-ioni again after replenishment.

4. A feelerloom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism on one sidef of the loom, filling feeler mechanismr and a filling severing device on the otherside of the-loom, a harness motion, means for aotuating the parts havin-g provision for'stopping 'the'harness motion.v and severing the filling on the indication of critical exhaustion of the filling, and starting the harness motion after filling replenishment.

5. A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism, filling feeler mechanism for feelingof the filling on the lbobbin when it is boxed, a-Weft severing device. located on the same side of the loom as the filling feeler mechanism, a harness motion, means for operating the parts havupon the' first indication o ing provision for severing the outgoing filling close'to the eye of the shuttle, stopping the harness motion, replenishing the lfilling, y and starting the harness motion again.

6.' A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism, filling feeler mechanism for feeling of the filling on the bobbin in the shuttle when it is boxed, a weft severing device on the same side of the loom as the filling feeler mechanism, a harness motion, and meansfor actuating t-he parts having provision for preparing the severing device for operation upon the first indication of critical exhaustion of the filling, throwing the weft replenishing mechanism into operation, severing the outgoing filling, and stopping the harness motion, on the second indication of critical exhaustion of thefilling and thereupon repleiiishing the filling and starting the harness motion in operation. i

7. A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism on one side of the loom, filling feeler mechanism on the `other side of the loomal filling severing device, coiinections between the feeler, the severing device and weft replenishing mechanism having provision by virtue Iof which on the first detection of critical filling eX- liaustion by the filling feeler, the severing device is prepared to sever the weft, and on the second detection of critical filling exhaustion, the weft is severed and the weft replenishing mechanism is thrown in operation. l

8. A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism on one side of the loom, a filling feeler on the other side of the loom, a weft severing device on the i'illing'feeler side of the loom, a harness mo'- tion, and connections between the several devices having provision bywvii'tue` of which,

y `f :critical exhaustionof the filling, the weft severing device is prepared for operatiomand on the second indication of critical exhaustion of the filling the weft is severed near the shuttle, the ,y

weft i'eplenishing mechanism is thrown into operation, and the harness motion is thrown out of operation forv a period correspond- `ing to one pick of the shuttle.

. the thread, suspend t-he operation of the har- "ness motion for the duration of one pick of the shuttle from the filling feeling sideto the -weft replenishing side of the l'o'om, and to throw the weft replenishing mechanism into operation.

10. A feeler loom having, in combination,

vweft replenishing mechanism on one side of the indication of filling exhaustion, acting also to control the means for delaying the operation of the harness mechanism so 'as not to operate on the,l pick of the shuttle toward the weft replenishing mechanism following severance of the filling, and to cause W'eft replenishment upon the arrival of the shuttle at the weft replenishing side vnext following the operation of the filling severing device. 11. A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing'mechanism on one side of the loom', a filling severing'device on the other side of the loom, a harness motion, means for determiningcritical exhaustion of filling acting to control the operation of the thread cutter, harness motion and weft replenishingl mechanism.

. 1.2. A feeler loom having, vin combination, weft replenis'hing mechanism on one side of the loom, filling feeler mechanism anda filling severing device, both ontheopposite side of the loom from the weft replenish- `ing mechanism, said filling eeler mechanism causing the operation of the filling severing device and weft replenishing mechamsm.

y 13, A feeler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism, filling e'eler mechanism, a filling severing device, a harness motion, andactuating mechanism oper- 'ating automatically uponthe indication of Athe harness motion in the proper position next succeeding the position of the shed at the time of the severance of the outgoing filling, so as to insure laying the newfilling in the shed as called for by the design of the fabric. A

.14. A fecler loom having, in combination, weft replenishing mechanism, means for determining critical exhaustion of filling,.a filling severing device, a harness motion, and actuating mechanism`oper51ting automatically to cause the filling severing device to sever the running filling on critical exhaustion thereof, to cause the filling replenishing mechanism to operate aft-er one or more' picks following filling severing, having provisionto cause the operation of the .harness motion in such manner as to weave a continuous pattern of clot-h.

15. Afeeler loom having, in combination, weft replenisliing mechanism on one side of the 'loom filling eeler mechanism and a filling severing dev-ice onthevother side of the loom, a harness motion, and connected mechanism operating automatical-ly\ and successively upon 'the indication of critical exhaustion of filling to cause the operation of the filling severing device, the

suspension of operation of the harness inotion, the operation of the weft replenishing mechanism, and the renewal of operation of the harness motion in sequence to Weave a continuous pattern of cloth. 1

CLARE H. DRAPER. 

